Cotton picker



Jan. 24, 1933.

S. GREEN COTTON PICKER 5 sheets-sheet 1r I N V EN TOR. SNE/7WD @FEE/V 'MTO NEYS.

S. GREEN COTTON PICKER Jan. 24, 1933.

l1, `1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept.

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Jan. 24, 1933. s, GREEN 1,895,160

COTTON PICKER Filed Sept. l1, 1929 5 Sheets-Shet 3 f One object o Patented Jari.Y 24, 41933 was. STATES sIIERWoon GEEEN, or BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, AssIGNon To AMEnIOAN v.COTTON j MACHINERY Co., or BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, a CORPORATION OEINEVADA g 4 COTTON PICKER Application aleaseptember 11, 1929. serialv Nq. 391,932; y

rlhis inventionl appertains toiharvesters and more particularly to an 'improvedfma-v chine suitable for picking cottonffrom the growing plant. f g i i f my invention is to provide a cotton ypicking machine embodying rollers or cylinders provided with a `plurality of teeth with means for guiding the plants in between the rollers, therroller's being normallv urged i@ toward theplants so as to eiectively'engage the bolls and drawthecottonftherefrom, the

machine being adapted to bedraw-n across the lield by draft ani'mals,al tractor, or the like.

A further objectjof my'in'vention is the prol vision of spaced pairs of rollersorcylinder'sprovided with teeth for engaginga cotton plant and bolls withnovel frames forsupporting the pairs of rollerson'each side of the" longitudinal axis of the machine swith v2Q spring means Jfor urging the pairs of rollers in parallel relation tooneanother toward the Y longitudinal' axis'of the `machine whereby the bolls will be effectively engaged, the rollers or cylinders also serving as an e'tfectivemeans breaking open the unopened bolls whereby thecottoncan beremovedtherefrom. 1

A further obj ect is to devise'suit'able means ina machine of this character for effectively iemoving cotton .from the teeth on the cylin-` er. i j A urtlier` object of my invention is'the provision of means for" receiving `the cotton and for deliveringithe saine fto suitablere'# ceptacles, as the machine is moved down the row of cottonplants;` Y f A still further objectofmy invention is to provide an improvedcotton picking machine lofthe above character, which will bedurable and 'efcient in use, one that will be Vsimple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be placed upon themarketj at a reasonable cost. Y

Withv these and otherobjects in view, one embodiment ofthe invention consists in the novel construction, Varrangement and formation of parts',"as will b'ehereinafter more speciiically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, vin "which drawings?.M s fy V y Figurel is atop plan view of one embodinient of my improved cotton 4picking machine with parts thereof lbroken, awayandin V'section',vv c f Figure 2"is a central longitudinal section through thema'chine taken on the line 2-2 of Figure `l llooking inthe direction ofthe arrows.` Figure V3 'is a ragmentaryside elevation of the machine illustrating the means for driving the conveyor belt; C l Figure 4 is a1 transverse section takenonthe line Jl-4f of `FigureI 1 looking `in thei direction of the arrows. Y, i y

VFigure 5 is afhorizontal section'take'n on. `the line 55Lofy Figure 2 looking in the-dii rection of the arrows, and

Figure' is a fragmentary vdetail perspec-j `tive view illustratingthe upperrportionof one frame' for carrying' one pair of rollers. VReferring to` thev drawings in detail, `where- 70 in similar 'l reference characters Vdesignate correspondingparts'throughoutI the several views, the letter'A generally Aindicatesniy improved cotton picking machine which come` prises a suitableframel() for supportin'gthe various parts ofthe machine.` W The framed() in theparticul'ar embodiment illustrated includes lower pairs' oflongitudinally extending beams 11 and similar upper pairs of beamsv 12, thepairs of uppervan'd lower beams having secured thereto uprights or V standards 13 Transversely extending frame bars 14 canbe employed for `connect-" j ing theupper pairs ofbeams l2y together and,

for convenience, these transverse ramefbars 85 can beconnected to the upper pairs ofbeams l2 at'the point of connection of theuprights ltherewith. If desired the uprights 13 Ion each side of the frame can be connectedtogetherintermediate their ends by longitudinally extending boardsor the like pair of rows of spacedintermediate upright-s 16 can `be secured to the transverse lframe bars 14 in any desired way'. In=any- :con-v venient position relative to the frame and beams 11. VThese receptacles are Vadaptedto '190 e5 j preferably adjacent to the rear end thereof?,

receive` the cotton mechanism. Y

At. the extreme front 'of the machine, I

picked by lmy improved 'provide outwardly flared guide fend-ers or shields 18 which can be made of sheet metal or the like and these fenders are preferably arranged onopposite sides of the longitudinal center of the machine and gradually converge toward `one another at theirrearjends for" guiding the cotton plants into the machine. The `forward end of the guide shields can be secured to the front of the frame, while the rear ends of the Vshieldsv l can be secured to the front pair of 'inter mediate uprights or standards 16. These upri hts or standards y16 can be braced by snita le brace bars-forstruts 19.

- vThe entire frame'is mounted in sucha manner as to permit the fram-etc be easily moved down lthe rows of cotton plants and:

in the present instance I have shown' rear y wheels 20'for supporting the frame.` l/Vheels .forward'endgof the frames can likewise be 20fcan be secured-to suitableaxles 21 mountedin bearings carried, for exampleby the lower pairs of longitudinal 4beams 11. The

supported by suitable wheels, caster rollers or the like, but in the present instance it isy contemplated to support, the front of the frame directlyby the tractor utilized fory drawing the machine down'Y the lield. i

Between theV guide shields 18 and receptacles 17,1y arrange means for engaging the cotton plantandforstripping the cotton fromthe cotton bolls. This cotton picking means comprises a plurality of picker drums 23and in the embodiment illustrated, I have i showny a pair of drums 23 on each side of the longitudinal aXis Aof the frame. The surface ofea'ch of the drums is provided. with a. vplurality of teeth 24 whichare similar to v the teeth on saws or cotton gins.

Y Teeth 24v-are adapted to engage the cotton and vremove it from the plantsas the plants pass Vbetween picker Vdrums 23. For making teeth 24 more effective, I prefer to mount th-ejm in such a manner that they point in e, e 'the direction that thesurlface of the picker dlfumis traveling. Thus, in operation, teeth '24 .become embedded* in the cotton. and yin this man-ner pull the cotton from the plants.

' It Visfto Vbe understood that while the picker mechanism is especially adapted for-harimeans'connected to one or'both of the drums.

Nori'na-lly, the Vspace between, the vteeth on the respective drums which form ajpair is ksure between therolls.

such that even the smallest plant will be eectively stripped of its cotton. As larger plants are encountered, the drums are forced further `apart and the largest plants provided for in the design of the machine will force the drums to or near their extreme. limit 1n the other direction.

Any suitablemeans can'be employed for yieldably urging one drum against the other not wish tobe limited to any particular form or'forms except as defined in the appended claims. -Hydraulic means,pneumatic means,

and springmeans are among those which can Thus, plants of all` sizes will be literally squeezed between the `opened bolls on the plants, thereby making l .the lint therein accessible to teeth 24.

`or for urgingv both drums together and I do i be utilized for` producing the desiredv presr As representative'pof suitable means i forl yurging drums 23 toward'one another, I have shown supportingframes forthe drums resiliently mounted by means of springs. Each supporting Vframe includes upper and lower connected togetheradj acent totheir opposite 'f ends by pivoted links 27 The forward ends of the bars 26 are connected by means of suitable pivots to forwardly vextending supporting bars or rods 29 which arein turn pivotally connected as at 30-to the forward end of the frame. The outer bars 25 are Aconnected to the supporting bars 29 by suitablepivots 31'., The inner bars 26 of each of the frames hasjournaled therein preferably at the point ofconnection of thelinks v27 therewith the picker drums 23 while the outer loarsj25fhave j ournaled therein preferably at the point of connection of the link 27 therewith vertically disposed brushdrums or rollers :32. The 'rear brush rollers andv the `rea-r picker drums 23 roo have Y the terminals.- oftheir shafts slidabl-y v and rotatably mountedin r suitable bearing'.

slots 33 formed in the transverselyextending upper and lower beamsll which are boltedor otherwise secured to the main frame. upper and lower inner bars26 fof each of the supporting frames are connected together .by l vertical uprights-*Sand these uprights have Y connected thereto by means of suitable pivots laterally extending guide rods 36, the-outer. ends of' which lareslidably mounted injthe frame boards 1K5. These guide rods 36 have secured thereto suitable washers or .collars 37, whichare preferably adjustable along rods, yagainst which `bear relatively heavy coilfsprings 38 carried by rods-36. The outerl end of eachspring bears against the vframe boards 15 and thus the springs function'to Thel normally urge the supporting frames inwardly and the picking drums of each pair of drums toward one another. By making collars 37 adjustable, the tension of springs 38 can be adjusted inv a convenient manner. Other arrangements for adjusting springs 38 will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Brushes 32 are adapted to remove the cotton from teeth 24 by sweeping the cotton from' the teeth in the direction in which the teeth point. Any other suitable means, however, can be provided for this purpose, as for example, means employing compressed air or vacuum suction. When rotary'brushes are employed, however, they are most effective when the peripheral speed of the brushes exceeds the peripheral speed of the picking drums. The peripheral speed of the brushes 32 can be increased by increasing the diameter of the brushes or by increasing the angularl velocity. In the particular embodiment shown, brushes 32 are geared to drums 23 to rotate therewith, but in the oppositejdirection and at a higher velocity. To accomplish this object the upper terminals ofthe shafts or spindles of the picker drums 28 can be provided with relatively large gears 40, while the upper ends of the shaft or spindles of the i brushes 32 can be provided with relatively small gears 4l which mesh with the large gears. The picker drums can be rotated by the wheels 2O of the machine by any suitable Y motion transmission mechanism between the wheels and the drums, and through the medium of spring 38 the picker drums will en-. gage the plants with considerable pressure. However, an external driving means, such as a motor, on the frame of the machine can be provided for positively driving the picker drums and brushes. It is desirable that the brushes on each side of the machine be maintained in parallel relation so as to permit the opposite drums to be inV direct transverse alignment for effectively engaging the plants. To enable movement of the Vframes about pivots 30, the ends of the shafts 'of the rear picker drums and brushes are slidably and rotatably received in the vguide slots B3 formed in the transversely extending guide beams 34 which can be of channelbeam construction.

In order to provide means for conveying Vthe cotton from the brushes to the recepclined conveyors 45which receive the cotton from the conveyors 44 and'deliver the same A ja main frame, a front and rear toothed cot- 'ton picking drum arranged-on each side' of I into the receptacles 17, it being notedV that theV rear ends of the inclined conveyors extend into said receptacles. `These conveyor j belts canbe driven in'any desiredwayand in the embodiment illustratedthe 'forward sliaftof the conveyor 45 is provided with a pair ofisp'aced sprocket wheels 46 and 47 and that a sprocket chain 48 is .trained about the sprocket wheel 46 and about aV sprocket wheel 49 keyedto the axle of one ground' wheel 20..i'l`he otliersprocket wheel '47 has trained thereabout a sprocket chain 5,1 which i is iii turn'trained over-ja sprocketwheel 52 i keyed Ato*A the `forward shaft ofthe horif zontal conveyor. It is to be noted thatfthef drives for the conveyors on each side of the machine are identical. Y j

Other means canbe providedfor conveyingv the cottonffrom the brushes and the con- 'l veyors have only been illustrated by way of) example 'of showing oneY means" of accom- .j

plishing this.

` It is obviousy fromfthe foregoiiigvthatpl,

have Vprovidedgfnovel frames for `supporting pairs of front! and rear picker drums'disi I posed on eachside' of the longitudinal axis of tlie'macliine and that these frames are so jf mounted asr to-maintain the front and rear j pairs of .drumssin ,parallelismV at alltimes I with means for normally urging the drums into ,frictionalengagement with the cotton plants. y

In operation of my improved machine, the

same is drawn down arrow of cotton plants and the shield 18 will guide-the plants 'bef tween the picker rollers ordrums'23. The teeth 24 o'iirthese drums will engage and' pull the cotton fromthefcotton bollsandthese ico drums will serve "as means for crackingope'n e any unopened bells,y The brushes in turn rotating at a higher yrate lof speedv than the drums will brush the cotton therefrom-and deliver the same to Vthe lower horizontal conveyors 44 which will in turn deliver the cotton to the inclined conveyors 45. These con! veyors in turn'will deliver the same to the collection receptacles 117- where the cotton can be conveniently removed.'

Changesin details may be madewithout the'scope of departing from Vthe Vspirit for this invention, but

Vhat I cla-im as new is: y i Y l. In a cotton picking machine, a. frame,

iio

a front and 'rear vertically disposed toothed cotton picking drum on eachside of the lonf gitudina-l center of the frame, thereby form-` ing front and rear pairs of drums, means normally urging the drums of each pair toward one another, brushes extending longitudinalf ly of the picking drums, means for driving the brushes from the picking drums, and i means for maintaining the axis of rotation of each drum a fixed distance from the axis `of its associated brush. t

2.,.4. cotton pickingl machine comprising the longitudinal center of said frame, the

4 i Y v 1,896,160

frontdrum and the rear drum on each side 'of the longitudinal center being arrangedin parallel relationship', frames on each side of the longitudinaly center of the main frame for-supporting said drums, means engaging the :Supporting frame for 'yieldably 'urging the drums on opposite sides 'of the machine toward one another and means for guiding` cotton plants between the drums' on opposite l5) sides offthe main frame.

l 3. A'cotton picking,v machine comprising' l a main frame, front and rear vertically disposed .toothed 'rollers' arranged on eachside of the longitudinal center of the main frame,

Y l5 rotatable brushes extending' the fully length of each picking Vroller and engaging vthe surface thereof, asupporting frame yfor sup- Y portingthe brushes 'and rollers on each side vof the main frame, transversely'extending 2G guide bars carried by the main frame having' guide slots therein for receiving the pintles of l the rear picker -rollers land brushes `for maintaining the picker rollers on. the opposite sidesy 0f the main fra-me in parallel relationship7 25 and-spring meansengaginglthe supporting,` lframes' for yieldably urging the picker rollers on opposite sides of the frame toward one another. i f i" Y 4. In cotton picking apparatus,'a pair of VSi) rotatable .drums between Which cotton plants are adapted to be passed, and yieldable means' allowing yrelative movement between said drums, the extent of movement being deter- Inined .by the plants *passing between the drums', said yieldable mea-ns adapted to exert sufcient pressure between said drums. to break open unopened bolls on the plants;

In testimony` whereof I affix my signature.

SI-IERWOOD GREEN. 

